Hello,
we have a newly built house and are experiencing waterlogging issues in the garden.
There is about 50 cm (20 inches) of topsoil, which already contains some clay, followed by approximately 1.5 m (5 feet) of a thick clay layer.
The clay layer only allows water to pass through very slowly, so the garden remains waterlogged for about 1-2 days. Excess water can drain away through a French drain (soakaway) as long as there is a slope, but the soil also settles unevenly.
However, waterlogging still occurs in the soil itself, especially within the top 40 cm (16 inches), which plants do not tolerate well.
We cannot loosen the clay layer even with a rotary tiller. How can we improve the soil? Would it be sufficient to spread, for example, 10 tons of river sand over approximately 180 m² (1,940 sq ft) and incorporate a soil activator by tilling it in?
What else can we do?
Would it help to plant deep-rooted plants for one year, till the soil again next year, and then finally plant the lawn?
we have a newly built house and are experiencing waterlogging issues in the garden.
There is about 50 cm (20 inches) of topsoil, which already contains some clay, followed by approximately 1.5 m (5 feet) of a thick clay layer.
The clay layer only allows water to pass through very slowly, so the garden remains waterlogged for about 1-2 days. Excess water can drain away through a French drain (soakaway) as long as there is a slope, but the soil also settles unevenly.
However, waterlogging still occurs in the soil itself, especially within the top 40 cm (16 inches), which plants do not tolerate well.
We cannot loosen the clay layer even with a rotary tiller. How can we improve the soil? Would it be sufficient to spread, for example, 10 tons of river sand over approximately 180 m² (1,940 sq ft) and incorporate a soil activator by tilling it in?
What else can we do?
Would it help to plant deep-rooted plants for one year, till the soil again next year, and then finally plant the lawn?
FrankChief schrieb:
I’m not familiar with this, but my first thought was that we need the drainage pipes spaced 1m - 1.5m (3.3ft - 5ft) apart from each other, although that’s probably way too much, right? I would start with the simpler option and then monitor if it’s sufficient.
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FrankChief10 Apr 2024 19:00I already started with drainage holes last year.
It didn’t have a huge effect; during rain, you don’t see any improvement. Only afterwards does the water seep away within 1–2 days instead of 2–3 days.
I would have drainage pipes installed only once; it has to work perfectly the first time but not remove too much water.
This way, the excavator only needs to come once.
It didn’t have a huge effect; during rain, you don’t see any improvement. Only afterwards does the water seep away within 1–2 days instead of 2–3 days.
I would have drainage pipes installed only once; it has to work perfectly the first time but not remove too much water.
This way, the excavator only needs to come once.
B
Bertram10010 Apr 2024 19:15You can also manage water through garden architecture. A sunken garden collects a certain amount of water in a depression. It also looks attractive because it can be planted with water-loving plants.
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FrankChief11 Apr 2024 14:38We will first observe how the ground behaves after mixing in a substantial amount of sand.
We want to see whether the waterlogging is still present or if it has already resolved. The topsoil will be shaped to have a slight slope towards the infiltration trench.
We want to see whether the waterlogging is still present or if it has already resolved. The topsoil will be shaped to have a slight slope towards the infiltration trench.
S
Schorsch_baut11 Apr 2024 15:56I would add several cubic meters of hummus/compost soil, which retains water but also loosens the soil. Otherwise, with very clayey soil, the ground can dry out quickly but become rock-hard, making it even harder for rain to penetrate after a long dry period.
He has already applied topsoil. The clay-rich soil is deeper down.
@FrankChief Make sure to loosen the soil with deep-rooting plants like ground cover and soil organisms. After construction, water also accumulated here. In 2018, I had a pond on the play area after rain. It resolved on its own.
@FrankChief Make sure to loosen the soil with deep-rooting plants like ground cover and soil organisms. After construction, water also accumulated here. In 2018, I had a pond on the play area after rain. It resolved on its own.